The AVIVA Leinster Schools’ Cross Country Championships are taking place in Santry Demesne on the 6th of February at 12 noon.
Multiple Irish Schools’ Champion Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (Colaiste Iosagain) will start as firm favourite to take the senior girls title. Buttner has been unstoppable at schools’ competition having won four Aviva All Ireland Schools’ Cross Country titles in a row. Clare McCarthy (Colaiste Iosagain) and Sarah Hawkshaw (Mount Sackville) will aim to challenge Buttner and both athletes will also target team glory.
The senior boy’s race is likely to be one of the closest races of the day with a classy field assembled. Ian Guiden (St Aidans CBS), Aaron Hanlon (St Mary’s Drogheda) and Killian O’Maonaigh (Colaiste Eoin) have all been in fantastic form over the country and all three athletes will battle it out for the title. Other athletes to watch out for include Mitchel Byrne (Templeogue College) Owen Taggert (H.F. Rathcoole) and David Scanlon (Terenure College) in what could prove to be the race of the day.
Celtic Cross Country team member Pierre Murchan (St Declans CBS) comfortably won the inter boys race at the West Leinster Schools and will start as favourite to take the inter boy’s title in Santry. The prodigiously talented Siofra O’Flaherty (St Leo’s Carlow) is another athlete to watch out for as she aims to capture the junior girls title. Eimear Fitzpatrick (Our Lady’s Terenure), Claire O’Connor (St Louis Rathmines) and Rachel Dunne (St Colmcilles Knocklyon) are all likely contenders for individual honours.
The action gets underway at 12 noon with the minor girls race and concludes with the senior boy’s race at 2.20pm.
